THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #169 - December 23, 1996
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #169
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Topics for Today:
Ben's wedding, touring, etc.
my ears are ringing!
Re: Best album of 96?
BFF in Michigan?
help! please!
ben folds and this whole homophobia thing..
[no subject]
The Gingbreadmen Connection
Oz BDO Tour
Alice Childress
playing piano
re: best album of 96?
ben folds 5
Mr. Wrong
Re: Best of 1996
==============================================================================
From: Moderator
Subject: Ben's wedding, touring, etc.
Here are some answers to recent questions:
Alan Wolmark confirms that the band will NOT be playing Australia's Big
Day Out. They will be leaving on a press tour for most of January that
will take them to Scandinavia, Europe, the UK and Japan. There will not be
any shows scheduled, but there will be some radio appearances and a couple
surprises that they are planning now. They will begin a European tour on
or about February 23rd (itinerary will follow once it's confirmed). A US
tour will start on March 31st (again, itinerary to follow once confirmed).
Japan dates will be May 9-20.
So if anyone hears of any radio appearances, let us know on the Armchair
and load up your tape recorders!
Finally, Ben got married to Kate Rosen in Marin County, California, on
Saturday, December 14. Up until the wedding, Kate lived in Los Angeles
and they will probably settle there soon. I don't have an address for
cards and letters, but if you wish to send an E-mail message, I will
collect them (off the list) and forward them to Ben via his manager in a
couple weeks. -fjm
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 17:38:54 -0500
From: Paul Hyun <Paul_Hyun@brown.edu>
Subject: my ears are ringing!
Congrats on one year of the digest Frank! I
didn't realize until someone else mentioned it! This is definitely one of
the most well designed music mailing lists out there!
peace.
-paul
+===========================================+
V \ V
^ ------ Paul_Hyun@brown.edu ^
V /__ V
^ / "Go ahead and laugh all you want. ^
V /__ \ I've got my philosophy" bff V
^ ^
+===========================================+
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 18:28:43 -0500
From: tkuri@ix.netcom.com
Subject: Re: Best album of 96?
I think, that was just because the BFF album was officialy released in
UK this year. UK members, am I right?
Kuri
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 18:42:26 -0500 (EST)
From: Michele <mmenuck@umich.edu>
Subject: BFF in Michigan?
Okay, I know that the BFF US tour starts in April, but what venues are
they playing, and WHEN ARE THEY COMING TO MICHIGAN?
Michele
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michele R. Menuck
University of Michigan
mmenuck@umich.edu
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mmenuck
[When dates are confirmed, they will be posted here and on the web
page, so keep watching. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 16:53:42 +0000
From: "Arnold S. Rowe" <arowe@pe.net>
Subject: help! please!
Hi all!
i know, i know. this subject was in the MA just a few weeks ago, but
please, bear (sp?) with me!
My friends and i are doing a history day project about Muhammed Ali,
and we were hoping to play BFF's "Boxing" in the background. (my
friend always tells me that if BFF ever gets well known in CA, it's
gonna be because of my shameless promotion of them. :) sooo. can
anyone clarify the identities of the two boxers Ben was writing
about? I'm almost positive it was about Ali's last fight with some
guy. Thanks mucho!
~Aimee
[It was a fictional conversation between Ali and Howard Cosell and it
was inspired by Ben's father, who was a big fan of boxing. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 20:23:45 -0500 (EST)
From: Spy Swatter <mb19202@conrad.appstate.edu>
Subject: ben folds and this whole homophobia thing..
>Ben Folds Five- Homophobic ? I doubt it.
> Remember in Where's Summer B, Frank and Ross are holding hands.
or what about in Sports and Wine..."I don't understand it either I guess
that makes me gay"...he's making fun of homophobic frat boy jocks!
........................................Matt
"I would dazzle you with brilliance if I only had the knack"
--Danny
Elfman
E-mail: mb19202@appstate.edu
http://www.runet.edu/~hbarton
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 23:56:55 PST
From: evilbison@juno.com
Subject: [no subject]
First order of biz....
>They Might Be Giants -- punk rock for reactionary, defensive gays with
email
> Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
I'm sorry, but your wrong. I know the gay guy who said we should boycott
BBF is over reactive, but just because he listens to TMBG doesn't mean
that ALL people like that listen to them. I myself have been a faithfull
TMBG listener for ten years, and I'm a heterosexual. I do DO agree with
you in saying that the clown was too damn defensive. Lighten up man,
TMBG are the ambassadors of love, and BBF are the COOLEST DAMN GUYS
Ever.
Second....
>Hey everyone, I just thought I'd mention I was watching the Beavis and
> Butthead Movie Preview Special on MTV and during the host's intro, they
> played Uncle Walter. Most that they played was teh bass solo, but it
>was kind of suprising to be laying in bed half asleep and here that on
>MTV of all places. At least we know SOMEONE at MTV has some taste. See
>Ya'!
Actualy, Ben Folds is used quite often on MTV for background music. Ben
Himself has even appeared on MTV news, way back when they were opening
for Lolapalooza. Pretty groovy huh?
EvilBison@juno.com
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 23:32:09 -0500
From: PowerVegan@aol.com
Subject: The Gingbreadmen Connection
Continuing my reporting about connections of Austin bands to Ben Folds Five
(remember "The Sincola Connection"?), last night in the middle of my band's
gig, my bandmate ran off to get some water (I've never been able to convince
him to just ASK an audience member to go do this for him), so during the
lull while the show temporarily stopped, I asked into the mic, "So, does
anybody here like Ben Folds Five?" There was a single, but forceful "Yeah!"
from some guy in the audience. So I said, "What's your favorite BF5 song?",
to which he replied "Boxing." So I invited him to up to sing it, and he did.
So after the show I'm talking to him, and it turns out that he's the bass
player for a popular local group called the Gingbreadmen (whom I've heard OF,
but unfortunately not heard live), which used to have a record deal and all
that. This guy, John, told me that he had worked with "Ben Folds' producer
in D.C." -- I asked if he meant Caleb Southern, but he said some other name
which I didn't recognize and don't remember. John said that he got a copy of
"Ben's demo for Sony", with Ben playing all the instruments, including
guitar. (Was this pre-BF5, 1993 maybe?) John said he doesn't have email,
and I neglected to get his phone # or other details, so that's all I've got
for now. I guess I'll have to go to a Gingbreadmen show so I can try to get
the full scoop along with a copy of this mysterious tape.
-- Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 19:01:30 +0800
From: Jeff Philip <spoony@tartarus.uwa.edu.au>
Subject: Oz BDO Tour
Right ... now I'm really pissed off! ... Management/Record label
guarantees that BFF will be at the Big Day Out Tour and cranking.
Today I see the lineup, for the Perth one at least, and no BFF in sight.
Come out to Australia and don't be dickheads and only tour the East ...
I'm ONE pissed off guy ...
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 13:31:41 +0000 (GMT)
From: felix <felix@theor.ch.cam.ac.uk>
Subject: Alice Childress
Some time ago there was some speculation as to the identity of Alice
Childress. Sorry if this was already cleared up - I just found out who she
is/was: A Black writer who wrote mainly about the experiences of Blacks
who work for Whites. I saw a quote from her that said something like
'Being a Black writer means explaining pain to those who inflict it.'
Incidentally (?), she came from South Carolina.
-- There's good in nearly everyone,
Just give them all a chance.
Felix
[The Alice Childress of song, however, was actually a patient at a
mental hospital who once threw water on Anna Goodman, who co-wrote the
song with Ben. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 13:47:12 -0400 (AST)
From: Daniel MacEachern <dmaceach@is2.dal.ca>
Subject: playing piano
Pianos are not like clothes. You make different-sized clothes for
different-sized people but pianos are all the same size so that if you
play one you can play them all. It would be pretty useless to learn to
play piano on one with small keys and then go to a recital where it was a
piano with bigger keys.
Daniel
Halifax
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 23:08:30 -0800
From: gillet <gillet@pi.net>
Subject: re: best album of 96?
> In the latest Magical Armchair, a couple people were talking about
> some magazine or something ranking BFF in the top 10 albums of '96.
> I was just kinda curious as to exactly when the album was released...
> 'cuz I thought that the copyright date on the album said '95.
it was released about september 1995 in the US probably. (i bought an
imported album, altough i didn't know that at the time, in october and
played many tracks in my radioshow). only in the beginning of 1996 the
album was properly released here in europe and it took england even
longer i believe. so everytime i could play a couple of those wonderful
songs on my show. i'm defenitely looking forward to the new one!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
met vriendelijke groet listen every mondaynight 9-10 to
joris gillet SUBBACULCTHA my weekly 'alternative'
uitgeest, the netherlands radioshow on the local radiostation
gillet@pi.net here in uitgeest, the netherlands !!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 19:19:08 -0500
From: Stamest@aol.com
Subject: ben folds 5
I'd like this to be in the next issue:
Hey all.. my first time writing. As response to something.. I am sooo
happy Ben will be touring soon! And I hope to get backstage. (A bit of
positive thinking)
Ps- I dont think that Ben is a homophobic.. I mean, I dont know him
personally, but he does not seem to be that ignorant. (Bye the way- from
Where's Summer B?- "Frank & Ross are holding hands) Hmmm... That does not
sound homophobic to me!!! Well, Merry Christmas all.................
---,'--,'@
==============================================================================
Date: 20 Dec 1996 02:01 EST
From: Alan LaFleur <lafleur@nortel.ca>
Subject: Mr. Wrong
Hey I rented Mr. Wrong trying to see exactly where the song would fit into
the movie. Did I miss it??? I think it's pretty lame that they just stuck
the song onto the soundtrack and didn't actually put it into the movie.
Alan bah humbug LaFleur
PS- The movie sucked, too
[Heh, heh, heh. The song (Song for the Dumped) is not in the movie.
Apparently it was added to the soundtrack. There were many places where it
would have fit, and that may have resurrected an otherwise lifeless movie
that dragged on far too long after its premise was shot. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 1996 10:26:21 +0000
From: XMAS JELLYFISH STYLE <JOA95JWA@sheffield.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Best of 1996
Ben Folds Five was released in 1996 in the UK. That's why it made
the Mojo and Q charts of the year.
JOHN A
I
WAS
COOL
==============================================================================
[This will be the last Armchair for a few days so I'd like to wish
everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy St. Stephen's (Last) Day (in Town)!
-fjm]
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